On the Willows is a blog for many women, from many cities, with different experiences, at many stages of life.

God’s Unconditional Love

A few years ago, I signed up to received a “daily meditation” emailed to me from the Henri Nouwen Society. This Society takes excerpts from Nouwen’s old books, and forms these simple, sometimes deep, yet always profound meditations. From time to time, I will share these with you all. I believe that they will encourage you, whether it be a simple truth, or a challenge to us as women! With that said, enjoy this first devotional! It came yesterday on February 5, 2012.

Henri Nouwen Society, Daily Meditation from Sunday, February 5, 2012: “What can we say about God’s love? We can say that God’s love is unconditional. God does not say, “I love you, if…” There are no ifs in God’s heart. God’s love for us does not depend on what we do or say, on our looks or intelligence, on our success or popularity. God’s love for us existed before we were born and will exist after we have died. God’s love is from eternity to eternity and is not bound to any time-related events or circumstances. Does that mean that God does not care what we do or say? No, because God’s love wouldn’t be real if God didn’t care. To love without condition does not mean to love without concern. God desires to enter relationship with us and wants us to love God in return. Let’s dare to enter into an intimate relationship with God without fear, trusting that we will receive love and always more love.”

Personally, I always need a reminder that there is nothing I can do that will make God love me more. The mere fact that He came a couple thousand years ago to finish His work on the cross, tells us that there is nothing we did in the past to make Him perform that amazing act of Love for us and the entire world. Rather, He knew we were a helpless race, and that we needed to be rescued. Let us reflect today, and be grateful to the One who gives us love without condition.

About Stephanie Krier

Stephanie Krier Stephanie Krier was raised in beautiful Nor Cal. She and her husband Bobby moved to Boston in 2007, but recently relocated to a little village near Aberdeen, Scotland for her husband's grad program at RGU. Stephanie graduated from UMASS with a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social Psychology and a Music Minor. She loves to see how individuals are shaped and influenced by society. Now that she lives in the Scottish shire, she spends her free time doing a bit of gardening, blogging about her new life in Scotland (scotlandkriers.wordpress.com), exploring the countryside with her dog, Luther, and visiting castles with her husband!